Schools want out of teacher sex suit

WINCHESTER – Two of Shannon Woodson’s former employers have asked to be removed as defendants in a lawsuit filed over the ex-teacher’s sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.

Attorneys for the Greater Randolph Interlocal Cooperative, where Woodson served as the boy’s teacher in a special education class, and Randolph Southern Schools, where she earlier worked, have filed a motion for summary judgment.

On Aug. 14, Woodson, now 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of child seduction and was placed on home detention for three years. She had been charged in August 2011 with having sex with the teen during a series of encounters after the 2010-2011 school year.

The teen and his father filed suit against the cooperative and Randolph Southern in May 2013, saying Woodson’s “unlawful and sexually abusive and harassing conduct was foreseeable.”

In their motion to be removed from the lawsuit, filed Aug. 21, attorneys for the schools said “as nefarious as (Woodson’s) actions may be, none of it is the fault of Randolph Southern or GRIC.”

At the time of Woodson’s hiring by both Randolph Southern and later by the cooperative, she “lacked any criminal history or any record of previous misconduct in or out of the educational setting,” the lawyers wrote.

Before her dealings with the teen, Woodson had “no disciplinary issues and exhibited no manifestations of any inappropriate behavior, sexual or otherwise, with any students,” the motion said.

The teen’s lawsuit alleged he had a “developmental age” of less than seven years, and as a result was “easily manipulated and persuaded.”

The Aug. 21 motion included a transcript of an interview with the teen, identified in documents as “Junior Doe.”

Asked whether he “knew how to have sex” prior to his dealings with Woodson, the teen responded, “Yeah. I mean, obviously. I’ve got a kid.”

“Did you think it was a bad idea to have sex with her?” an attorney asked.

“Yeah and no,” the teenager replied. “Because I knew she was a teacher and the consequences of that. She can get in trouble.”

As part of the plea agreement in the criminal case, Woodson permanently surrendered her teaching license.

Randolph Superior Court Judge Peter Haviza has scheduled a hearing on the motion for Oct. 23.

Last week, Haviza granted a request by the teen’s attorney, Jason Delk, to withdraw from the case. In a motion, Delk wrote that he did not believe “ I can effectively pursue this matter on behalf of the plaintiff.”

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter @DouglasWalkerSP.